Does a pendulum put you into a trance?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James Malone on March 30, 2010 at 3:27am

Tanno, a pendulum can be a wonderful tool for hypnotic induction and self-hypnosis as it can transfix focus and attention. With some practice a person can also learn how to have the pendulum provide ideomotor signals for various types of questions. Jim

Permalink Reply by Loralee Pilon on March 30, 2010 at 6:08am

Some people are naturally attracted by shining, moving objects. These people go into trance very
easily when looking at pendulums.

Lee

Permalink Reply by Jack Hirsh on March 30, 2010 at 6:13am

I know if I swing a diamond in front of my wife I can get her to do whatever I tell her.

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on March 30, 2010 at 6:34am

A pendulum can be very effective. I have a couple of theories as to why:

1. James Braid theorized that hypnosis is induced by eye fatigue, and following a pendulum, or just staring at a shiny object (such as Braid's silver cigarette case) can cause that. The idea that it's all about exhausting the eyes has gone out of vogue, but a lot of hypnotists have observed some advantage in it.

2. Focusing all of your attention on one thing tends to induce hypnosis, especially if it is something repetitive and rhythmic.

3. Shifting your focus from one hemisphere of the brain to the other tends to induce trance, according to The Hypnotic Brain by Peter Brown, MD. Ancient Yogis practiced breathing through alternate nostrils on purpose, and modern EMDR (whose practitioners *swear* it's not hypnosis) have people follow a finger or a light or a metronome going back and forth. I've applied this principal by having a client think about the right hand, then the left, then the right, then the left, and so on.

4. Expectation. The swinging pendulum is one of the most popular images of hypnosis, and some people will trance merely because they expect hypnosis to work that way.

As an aside, I often use a tri-pendulum (three pendula hanging from a stick) to demonstrate ideomotor action. While I was doing this one day, I noticed a girl in the front row staring at the center pendulum, which was going back and forth. I gently drew my hand down in front of her face and whispered, "sleep," only to see her slump right down into trance.

James

Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on March 30, 2010 at 7:01am

Nicely put James!

James Hazlerig said:

A pendulum can be very effective. I have a couple of theories as to why:

1. James Braid theorized that hypnosis is induced by eye fatigue, and following a pendulum, or just staring at a shiny object (such as Braid's silver cigarette case) can cause that. The idea that it's all about exhausting the eyes has gone out of vogue, but a lot of hypnotists have observed some advantage in it.

2. Focusing all of your attention on one thing tends to induce hypnosis, especially if it is something repetitive and rhythmic.

3. Shifting your focus from one hemisphere of the brain to the other tends to induce trance, according to The Hypnotic Brain by Peter Brown, MD. Ancient Yogis practiced breathing through alternate nostrils on purpose, and modern EMDR (whose practitioners *swear* it's not hypnosis) have people follow a finger or a light or a metronome going back and forth. I've applied this principal by having a client think about the right hand, then the left, then the right, then the left, and so on.

4. Expectation. The swinging pendulum is one of the most popular images of hypnosis, and some people will trance merely because they expect hypnosis to work that way.

As an aside, I often use a tri-pendulum (three pendula hanging from a stick) to demonstrate ideomotor action. While I was doing this one day, I noticed a girl in the front row staring at the center pendulum, which was going back and forth. I gently drew my hand down in front of her face and whispered, "sleep," only to see her slump right down into trance.

James

Permalink Reply by Pattie Freeman CH.t, MST on March 31, 2010 at 11:27am

It reminds me of a story that a 13 year old had told me when I ask if he knew what hypnosis was the first thing he said was the watch. I should of right then took out a watch and pretend to use it..LOL
It's funny how some people thing that's how it's done.

Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on March 31, 2010 at 7:10pm

In answering this question, I will address both possible meanings:

1. The pendulums are not fake, they are real pendulums.

2. The hypnotists may or may not be real, depending on what and where you saw them. If you saw it in a movie, or a dramatic (or erotic) video on you tube, there is a good chance it was fake.

In response to the question I think you wanted to ask; "Are pendulums really used to hypnotize people": The answer is yes, they can be. There are several good examples of the answer to this question here already.

John